1001 visits Dover and Canterbury on driver-training run

Newly-repainted Motor Coach 60118Tunbridge Wells led sister-vehicle 60116Mountfield out of
St. Leonards Depot at 09:50. In the course of the 4-hour journey
the pair traversed the Romney Marsh to Ashford, and conducted a circular
tour from Ashford via Folkestone, Dover, Deal, Sandwich, Minster and
Canterbury, before returning to the depot via Rye.

Our train, which ran as headcode 5Z22, completed the
scheduled working faultlessly and with no late-running; despite a minor
delay to its path between Ashford and Deal, it was running early at
Canterbury and had to be held at Appledore to await clearance of the
single-line section to Rye.

The train reversed three times: twice at Ashford International, and
also at Minster East Junction (1001 traversed two sides of the triangle).
It therefore got ‘turned’ in the course of the day’s outing.

Shakespeare Tunnel

Today’s working took our train through the 1,387-yard
Shakespeare Tunnel between Folkestone and Dover, which is formed of two
narrow single-track bores; these are normally out of bounds to SRDEMUs such as ours, as the
trains have no end door to provide a means of escape. The unavailability
for railtours of this spectacular stretch of line has often been lamented
— but a special dispensation was granted for this non-passenger
working.

Motor coach Mountfield’s grey
name-plate is visible in this view looking back at Shakespeare Tunnel,
shortly after 1001’s passage through it at around 11:15.

At Rye

Above: 1001 arriving at Rye…
Below: …and showing off its new external door-indication
lights whilst waiting for the line to be vacated. Photos by Craig Stretten.

Above: Class 171 DMMU number
171 723 approached Rye from Ashford at 10:23. Photo by
Dave Markwick. Below: Moments later, the same location
viewed from a different angle by Craig Stretten.

Appledore and Minster

Above: Motor coach
Mountfield brings up the rear as 1001 passes through
Appledore station and over its level crossing on the outward portion of
the trip. Photo by Steve Hatcher.

Above: Our train at Minster station,
having just reversed via Minster East junction. Motor Coach
Tunbridge Wells has just undergone a full repaint, as
is evident in this picture (and that below).